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Command
Command

Chapter XI

Cover illustration for Command
Context Illustration Reading 1/131 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.
Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.
He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.
The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.
At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Command

Chapter XI

Reading 1/131 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.
Line 2
Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.
Line 3
He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.
Line 4
The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.
Line 5
At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.”

Beyond preposition US /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading “Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.”

However adverb US /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading “The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.”

Order noun US /order/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.”

Save preposition US /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading “The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.”

Stand noun US /stand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.”

Thinking noun US /thinking/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.”

All words in this reading · 69

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

adventure

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

azure

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

bring

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

delight

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

dew

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

disturbing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

down

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

dressed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

endeavoured

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

Evanthia

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

evening

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

extraordinary

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

fresh

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

garden

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

gray

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

Gulf

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

intervals

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

lay

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

looking

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

misty

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

mood

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

neglected

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

ordernounUS /order/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

out

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

OverprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

pause

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

practical

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

previous

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

return

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

road

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

shaved

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

sheet

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

some

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

sort

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

sparkling

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

stand

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

tangled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

thinkingnounUS /thinking/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.

thoughts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

trees

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the trees beyond the road lay the Gulf, a sheet of azure and misty gray.

vegetation

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The adventure of the previous evening, however, was so fresh and disturbing that he could do nothing save return to it again and again.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading He looked at it and endeavoured to bring his thoughts into some sort of practical order while he shaved and dressed.

window

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He looked down from his window in the morning into a garden of tangled and neglected vegetation sparkling with dew.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading At intervals he would pause and stand looking out, thinking of Evanthia in a mood of extraordinary delight.